Electron-discharge device



Jan. 15, 1929. 1,699,119

I O. W. PIKE ELECTRON DISCHARGE DEVICE Filed Jan. 27, 1926 Fig. I.

' Inventor":

Otis W. Pike,

His Attorneg.

Patented Jan. 15, 1929.

UNITED, STAT ES PATENT 7 OFFICE. 1

OTIS W. PIKE, OF SCHENEGTADY,NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR. TO GENERAL ELEGTRICOMPANY, A CORIE'ORATIQN OF NEW YORK..

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Application filed January 27, 1923. Serial No. 84,215.

and it is desirable that the spacing between the diiferent electrodesshould be small, in order that the device may operate at its high estefliciency. When the electrodes are closely associated with one another,however, it is of importance that they should be rigidly held againstany lateral movement relative to one another, in order that shortcircuiting effects and variations in characteristics may be avoided. Alimited amount of longitudinal movement of the electrodes is, however,not

' only permissible but desirable during assem:

bly in order to assist in the sealing of the receptacle at one endthereof. It is one of the objects of my invention to provide anefficient and inexpensive means to prevent relative lateral movementbetween the electrodes but to permit relative longitudinal movementbetween the electrodes during assembly.

The novel features which I believe to be characteristic of my inventionare set forth with particularity in the appended claims. My inventionitself, however, will best be understood from reference to the followingspecification taken in connection with the accompanying drawing in whichFig. 1 shows a front elevation, partly broken away, of an electrondischarge device which embodies the features of my invention; Fig. 2 isa perspective view, on an enlarged scale, of the arrangement forpreventing relative lateral move ment of the electrodes.

Referring to the drawing, I have indicated at 1, an evacuated containerprovided with lass stems 2 and 3 at opposite ends thereof. ounted uponthe stem 2 is a clamp 4 supporting at opposite sides thereof a pair ofmolybdenum channel members 5 and 6 between which anode 7 substantiallyrectangular in and 9 are approximately one half inch in length and maybe permanently secured to supporting members 5 and 6 in any suitablemanner asby welding.

The grid member 12 of the discharge device comprises a wire mesh 13mounted on supportingwirerods 14 which are carried bya clamp ing member15 supported on the stem 3. A lava or other suitable insulator 16 iscarried on the upper end of supporting rods 14 andis provided with twopairs of opposed grooves or openings 17 and 18, which are adapted toaccommodate the projections or flanges 10 and 11, and with a pair ofhooks 19 and 20 which are adapted to hold the filamentary cathode 21 inposition.

In the assembly of the dischar e device, the stem 2 supporting the anode7 is first sealed into the upper end of the container, after whichcathode 21 and grid member 12 are inserted through the lower end of theanode and moved upwardly so that the rooves 17 and 18 engage andinterlock wit the channel members Sand 9. As thus arranged the grid andcathode are rigidly held against any lateral movement with respect tothe anode, although provision is made for a certain amount of endwisemovement of the grid and cathode in order to aid in the sealing of thelower end of the tube.

lVhat I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of theUnited States,'is,-

1. In combination, an electric device comprising acontainer, an anodemounted in said container, means for supportin ond electrode in saidcontainer, sai including an insulator rovided with an opening, and meansrigidly connected with said anode and cooperating with said opening toprevent relative lateral movement but permitting relative longitudinalmovement of said anode and supporting means.

2. In combination, a container and a hollow anode, means for supportingthe anode from one end of the container, means for supporting anelectrode from: the other end of the container and within the anode,said electrode supporting means including a grooved insulator, and aflanged member mounted on the anode sup orting means and engaging agroove in sai insulator.

3. In combination, an electric discharge device comprising a containerand a pair of means electrodes, one of the electrodes being mountedwithin the other electrode supporting means for each of the electrodes,one of the supporting means including a pair of oppositely arranged andsubstantially parallel members, the other of said supporting meansincluding an insulator fitting between the parallel members, theinsulator being provided with an opening and means projecting from oneof said parallel members and engaging said opening to thereby preventlateral movement of the electrodes.

4. In combination, an electric discharge device comprising a containerand a pair of electrodes, one of the electrodes being mounted within theother electrode, supporting means for each of the electrodes, one of thesupporting means including a pair of oppositely arranged andsubstantially parallel members, the other of said supporting meansincluding an insulator fitting between the parallel members, theinsulator being provided with a plurality of grooves, and projectingmembers permanently connected to the parallel members and engaging thegrooves in the insulator to prevent lateral movement of the electrodes.

5. In combination, a container, means for supporting a hollow anode fromone end of the container, means for supporting a grid from the other endof the container and with in the anode, said grid support including agrooved insulator, means for supporting the cathode from said insulatorand means mounted on the anode support and engaging the grooved portionof the insulator to prevent relative lateral movement of the anode andone of the other electrodes.

6. In combination, an electric discharge device comprising a containerand a pair of electrodes, one of the electrodes being mounted within theother electrode, supporting means for each of the electrodes, one of thesupporting means including a pair of oppositely arranged andsubstantially parallel members the other of said supporting meansincluding an insulator fitting closely between the parallel members,said insulator being disposed in a plane at right angles to saidparallel members and movable interlocking means associated with one ofsaid parallel members, and said insulator whereby relative lateralmovement of said electrodes is prevented, said means permitting relativelongitudinal movement of the insulator with respect to said members.

7. In combination, a container and a l1ollow anode, means for supportingthe anode from one end of the container, means for supporting anelectrode from the other end of the container and within the anode, saidelectrode supporting means including an insu lator provided with anopening, and means mounted on the anode supporting means and engagingthe opening in the insulator to thereby prevent lateral movement betweenthe anode and electrode.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand this 25th day ofJanuary, 1926.

OTIS W. PIKE.

